An interesting, if somewhat shallow, overview of science fiction. The writer or producer of this video committed a grave sin by omitting one of the Big Three of science fiction: Arthur C Clarke....
An interesting, if somewhat shallow, overview of science fiction.
The writer or producer of this video committed a grave sin by omitting one of the Big Three of science fiction: Arthur C Clarke. During the Golden Age, these three writers (Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke) defined the genre. They weren't the Big Three for nothing! Of course, the genre was smaller back then, with fewer writers, so it could be dominated by only a handful of writers. There couldn't be the equivalent of a Big Three now - but there was a Big Three back then, and it's criminal that one of them was left out.
I'm also not sure that the Golden Age lasted until as long as the Moon landings.
Almost all historians of science fiction agree that the Golden Age of Science Fiction started in July 1939, with that month's edition of 'Astounding Science Fiction' (formerly 'Astounding Stories'). This edition was when new editor John W Campbell's approach really kicked in, and included debut stories by people like A.E. Van Vogt and Isaac Asimov (not his first published story, but his first story in 'Astounding'). The following month saw Robert Heinlein's first story being published. Campbell's expectation that science fiction stories should be more than simple adventures, and actually include some science, singlehandedly changed science fiction for the better over the next decade or so.
However, the end of the Golden Age is a little less defined. Some historians say it ended around the time the first science fiction books were published in the early 1950s. Some historians say it ended when New Wave started in the early 1960s. But they'd all agree that the Golden Age was well and truly over when Neil Armstrong got to the Moon. By then, the Golden Age writers were mostly seen as out-dated and old-fashioned, because the New Wave had pushed them aside.
I'm surprised to see Phillip K. Dick linked to cyberpunk. Dick was almost the epitome of a New Wave writer (and he died before the seminal work of cyberpunk was published in 1984: 'Neuromancer'). Ursula K. Le Guin is another product of the New Wave movement, with its focus on characters ahead of science, as well as the shift away from white men being the protagonists of every story. The New Wave of the 1960s and 1970s was a key stage in the evolution of science fiction, but this video doesn't even mention it.
And what happened to The Three B's of 1980s science fiction: Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, and David Brin?
Super weird that they included Orwell, 1984 was definitely not science fiction. If they wanted to round out the dystopian angle with Bradbury, it should've been Aldous Huxley. As far as having...
Super weird that they included Orwell, 1984 was definitely not science fiction. If they wanted to round out the dystopian angle with Bradbury, it should've been Aldous Huxley.
As far as having Phillip Dick as the originator of cyberpunk though, I think the video's on a lot firmer ground. For all the attention Neuromancer gets, it was written after the genre was already firmly established by books like Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (which is usually credited as the originator of cyberpunk), and its film adaptation Blade Runner, which while predating Neuromancer, shared so much of the aesthetic that Gibson was afraid of looking like he ripped it off.
I was a bit puzzled by Orwell's inclusion, too - not only because he didn't write science fiction, as such, but also because he didn't write a lot in the genre (even if we count '1984' and 'Animal...
Super weird that they included Orwell, 1984 was definitely not science fiction.
I was a bit puzzled by Orwell's inclusion, too - not only because he didn't write science fiction, as such, but also because he didn't write a lot in the genre (even if we count '1984' and 'Animal Farm' as science fiction). There are plenty of authors who made larger or more significant contributions to the genre. Orwell was more of a one-hit wonder.
books like Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (which is usually credited as the originator of cyberpunk),
I stand corrected. I've always thought that 'Neuromancer' was the original work in this genre.
To be fair, Neuromancer was a pretty genre defining work. Along with Blade Runner, it ushered in what might (analogously) be called golden age cyberpunk, which dominated the eighties and includes...
I stand corrected. I've always thought that 'Neuromancer' was the original work in this genre.
To be fair, Neuromancer was a pretty genre defining work. Along with Blade Runner, it ushered in what might (analogously) be called golden age cyberpunk, which dominated the eighties and includes stuff like Shadowrun, Johnny Mnemonic, and Cyberpunk 2020. Then by the early nineties books like Snow Crash and The Diamond Age started ushering in post-cyberpunk.
If you're interested in what early cyberpunk is like though, I'd highly recommend reading True Names, by Vernor Vinge. It's short but very good.
An interesting, if somewhat shallow, overview of science fiction.
The writer or producer of this video committed a grave sin by omitting one of the Big Three of science fiction: Arthur C Clarke. During the Golden Age, these three writers (Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke) defined the genre. They weren't the Big Three for nothing! Of course, the genre was smaller back then, with fewer writers, so it could be dominated by only a handful of writers. There couldn't be the equivalent of a Big Three now - but there was a Big Three back then, and it's criminal that one of them was left out.
I'm also not sure that the Golden Age lasted until as long as the Moon landings.
Almost all historians of science fiction agree that the Golden Age of Science Fiction started in July 1939, with that month's edition of 'Astounding Science Fiction' (formerly 'Astounding Stories'). This edition was when new editor John W Campbell's approach really kicked in, and included debut stories by people like A.E. Van Vogt and Isaac Asimov (not his first published story, but his first story in 'Astounding'). The following month saw Robert Heinlein's first story being published. Campbell's expectation that science fiction stories should be more than simple adventures, and actually include some science, singlehandedly changed science fiction for the better over the next decade or so.
However, the end of the Golden Age is a little less defined. Some historians say it ended around the time the first science fiction books were published in the early 1950s. Some historians say it ended when New Wave started in the early 1960s. But they'd all agree that the Golden Age was well and truly over when Neil Armstrong got to the Moon. By then, the Golden Age writers were mostly seen as out-dated and old-fashioned, because the New Wave had pushed them aside.
I'm surprised to see Phillip K. Dick linked to cyberpunk. Dick was almost the epitome of a New Wave writer (and he died before the seminal work of cyberpunk was published in 1984: 'Neuromancer'). Ursula K. Le Guin is another product of the New Wave movement, with its focus on characters ahead of science, as well as the shift away from white men being the protagonists of every story. The New Wave of the 1960s and 1970s was a key stage in the evolution of science fiction, but this video doesn't even mention it.
And what happened to The Three B's of 1980s science fiction: Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, and David Brin?
This video suffers from being too short.
That's a really cool. I have to admit, as a casual scifi reader, she hit all the names I knew, but now I have more to look into. Thanks :)
Woah. I thought I knew some stuff about Science Fiction, but I clearly have not read the foundational works. Thanks for that run through!
Super weird that they included Orwell, 1984 was definitely not science fiction. If they wanted to round out the dystopian angle with Bradbury, it should've been Aldous Huxley.
As far as having Phillip Dick as the originator of cyberpunk though, I think the video's on a lot firmer ground. For all the attention Neuromancer gets, it was written after the genre was already firmly established by books like Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (which is usually credited as the originator of cyberpunk), and its film adaptation Blade Runner, which while predating Neuromancer, shared so much of the aesthetic that Gibson was afraid of looking like he ripped it off.
I was a bit puzzled by Orwell's inclusion, too - not only because he didn't write science fiction, as such, but also because he didn't write a lot in the genre (even if we count '1984' and 'Animal Farm' as science fiction). There are plenty of authors who made larger or more significant contributions to the genre. Orwell was more of a one-hit wonder.
I stand corrected. I've always thought that 'Neuromancer' was the original work in this genre.
To be fair, Neuromancer was a pretty genre defining work. Along with Blade Runner, it ushered in what might (analogously) be called golden age cyberpunk, which dominated the eighties and includes stuff like Shadowrun, Johnny Mnemonic, and Cyberpunk 2020. Then by the early nineties books like Snow Crash and The Diamond Age started ushering in post-cyberpunk.
If you're interested in what early cyberpunk is like though, I'd highly recommend reading True Names, by Vernor Vinge. It's short but very good.
I have little interest in cyberpunk. I've read a couple of books in that genre or using that genre's tropes, and they left me cold. :(
Great video! Love the animation. My favorite science fiction books are probably the Dark Tower series, VALIS, and A Scanner Darkly, among others
My favourite - Proteus in the Underworld by Charles Sheffield. It was my introduction to scifi.
I've never heard of that one! I'll look it up
I much prefer his 'Between the Strokes of Night'.
Sounds really interesting. Couldn't find the eBook, but managed to order a used copy from Amazon. Can't wait to read it.
I hope you enjoy it!